N° 25–2025: Media Advisory: ESA joins Axiom Space for Ax-4 Mission Overview

Ax-4 represents a pivotal moment in the growth of commercial human spaceflight. For the first time in history, astronauts from Poland, India and Hungary will fly together to the International Space Station with each nation returning to human spaceflight after more than four decades.

The Ax-4 crew members are Commander Peggy Whitson of the US, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India, Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Ax-4 crew aboard a Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station no earlier than 8 June 2025 from Florida. 

The official name of the Polish technological and scientific mission to the International Space Station is ‘Ignis’.

Ax-4 Mission Overview Press Conference

Tuesday 20 May at 9:30 CT / 16:30 CEST

Participants include:

•             Allen Flynt, Chief of Mission Services, Axiom Space

•             Dana Weigel, Manager, International Space Station Program, NASA

•             Sarah Walker, Director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX

•             Sergio Palumberi, Mission Manager, ESA

•             Sudeesh Balan, Project Director, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

•             Aleksandra Bukała, Project Manager, Head of Strategy and International Cooperation, Polish Space Agency (POLSA)

•             Dr Orsolya Ferencz, Ministerial Commissioner of Space Research, Hungarian to Orbit Program (HUNOR)

This press conference will be held virtually. Media must register to participate and must RSVP by 12:00 CT / 19:00 CEST on 19 May.

Register here for the science on the mission press conference: https://axiomspace.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ut8jLK0cRjyfaZXu3Ch3sA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from Axiom Space containing information on joining the press conference.

More Information

Follow Sławosz’s training / preparations for the mission on the Ignis website, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Latest updates on the Ignis mission can be found on X via @esaspaceflight and on ESA social media channels. 

Images

ESA's Photo Library for Professionals:

https://www.esa-photolibrary.com/

Terms and conditions for using ESA images

For questions or more information related to ESA images, please contact directly spaceinimages@esa.int

Videos

ESA's Video Library for Professionals:

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos

Terms and conditions for using ESA videos

For questions or more information related to ESA videos, please contact directly spaceinvideos@esa.int

Social Media

Follow ESA on:

X: @esa 
Facebook: @EuropeanSpaceAgency 
Instagram: @europeanspaceagency   
YouTube: ESA 
LinkedIn: European Space Agency - ESA 
Pinterest: European Space Agency - ESA 

About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.  

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.  

ESA has 23 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia are Associate Members.  

ESA has established formal cooperation with four Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.  

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.  

Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int